A Chance
by Gary the Snail x3
Summary: A little Daryl/OC a little Merle/OC and a little Rick/OC Starts at season three and it's going to be a pretty kick*** story.
1. Chapter 1

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Well now that that's out of the way here's my new story! In all honesty I feel a little guilty that I started a new Walking Dead story when I abandoned my other one :/ Regardless, I hope you all enjoy my new story (: HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!  
_

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_**Chapter One **_

A whimper, broke out of the tense situation. Rick stood up and glared at the men on the other side of them.

"You got someone else in there?" Rick asked the men neutrally.

Tomas smirked and shrugged and kept his gun on Rick. "We need to have a little fun or our own these past ten months." He told Rick and chuckled a bit as if he didn't even know why he was explaining himself.

Daryl cursed and quickly walked into the room and frowned when he saw a small red-head tied up with tape over her mouth and dried tears marking down her face.

"Hey, hey." Daryl said quietly walking over to her and immediately stopped when she jumped and tried to move back from him. It was hard for her to do, since she was tied to the cart which held all the food. Not to mention she winced and moaned quietly after doing it.

She looked up at him with sunken green eyes with tears in them, there was such fear in them that Daryl had to look away, reminded him just like his Mama when his Dad used to beat her. Daryl didn't want to look at her. She wore a torn white tank top with a poor excuse of shorts on. She had hand print shaped bruises on her arms and some scratched on her legs.

"I aint gonna hurt ya." Daryl told her softly and cautiously took another step towards her, but she just shut her eyes and looked down. She's probably heard that before.

Daryl bent down and carefully took off the tape on her mouth and T-Dog decided to burst in at that moment.

Her eyes immediately looked to T-Dog and tried to move farther back again.

"Dammit." Daryl cursed looking back at him. "Get the hell outta here, I'll bring her out when she's decent."

T-Dog shook his head slightly. "Rick wanted me to come in here with you, so she wouldn't try anything."

Daryl scoffed and glared at him. "I don't care. She's gonna do a whole lot of damage with bruised and broken ribs, right? Now get the hell outta here."

T-Dog rolled his eyes and exhaled loudly before leaving the room.

The red head just stared at him, she still hasn't said a word to him. That made him nervous, he never met a quiet girl before, all of them always loved to talk and shit.

"Got any other clothes around here?" Daryl asked her quietly and carefully untied her feet.

She shook her head slowly and watched his hands frighteningly as if she could stop him if he decided to touch her.

Daryl sighed and shook his head. "That's what I thought." He whispered, and moved behind her back to the cart her hands were tied onto, and began untying those tight knots.

The woman was trying to keep her breathing even, trying not to let any of her fear show, but she was visibly shaking.

When he was done he got up and stared down at her waiting for her to get up. "You need help gettin up?" He asked about to take her hand but she quickly shook her head and kept her hands to herself.

She immediately put her hands on the bars of the carts and stared up at him curiously.

"Listen, girl, I know you're hurtin but you gotta get up. We need to get outta here, okay?" Daryl told her trying to sound patient but the last thing they needed was a bunch of walkers bursting in any minute.

She nodded and carefully pulled herself up and stood on wobbly legs and held on tightly to the bars until she could have balance. She looked up at Daryl and looked at him with a small smile on her face and nodded to him, in thanks.

Daryl suppressed a grin and gestured over his shoulder. "Come on."

The girl slowly followed him out and cringed under the stares of the men who have all violated her in one way or another. She saw a girl there though, she was crying holding a towel to the man's leg, she frowned.

Rick looked over at the girl cautiously, she looked horrible. Her skin was a sickly pale, her shorts look ruined with the button missing and one of her tank-tops straps were missing. "You alright?" Rick asked her gently.

She looked over at Rick quickly and took a step farther away from them and nodded. Then looked down to the ground.

Rick frowned at this, it was obvious she was abused and violated. Her whole mannerism screamed that out to him. No way was he letting these fucking people come with them to _his_ cell block.

Rick looked over at Daryl and found Daryl staring at the girl yet he had his crossbow still drawn towards the men. "Daryl." Rick called over to him and watched as he stopped staring at the girl and carefully made his way towards him.

"Yeah?" Daryl asked still keeping aim at the men.

"She talk at all?" Rick whispered to him.

Daryl shook his head and looked over at Glenn when he heard him curse. "China man, what the hell is going on here?"

Glenn shook his head and looked over at him and shook his head. "We need to get him back to the cell block. He is bleeding way too much and we need more supplies than this."

Rick nodded and looked over to Daryl and then the girl. No way in hell would he let this poor girl go through anymore than she already had.

Daryl carefully made his way over to the girl who was staring at Hershel frightened and gently held her arm. She jerked and her head snapped over towards him and she slowly relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Listen, we need to leave here alright?" Daryl asked her watching as she looked towards the doors and back at him. "I need you to stay near me or Rick, got it?"

She nodded slowly and looked at the door apprehensively, really not wanting to know what was on the other side.

"Hey, you're gonna be fine. We gonna go back to my cell block and get you some decent clothes, alright?" Daryl told her as she stared up at him blankly.

Once a again she only nodded.

Daryl looked over at Maggie and Glenn who had Hershel on a metal table ready to rush through the door when it opened. Hershel looked like he was out cold, probably due to loss of blood. Then Daryl looked over at Rick who had his hands on the door and T-Dog stood next to him getting ready to shoot anything out there after Rick through the doors opened.

The girl immediately stood behind Daryl and put a hand on his belt loop. She really didn't want to run through there, especially if whatever is out there did that to that old man.

Daryl looked behind him and looked and saw her looking down at the floor but she held onto his belt loop tightly. He didn't say anything, obviously she felt more comfortable with him than Rick.

Rick nodded once at everybody before throwing open the doors and him and T-Dog ran out there first with their guns drawn and then Maggie and Glenn pushed Hershel out of their and began running to make their way back to the cell block, Daryl and the girl close behind them.

Her stomach was killing her, it felt as if every move she made it was going to tear her apart. Her legs were aching, this was more exercise than she has had in almost a year. The halls were dark and gloomy. She could hear faint groans and moaning, and the scuffling of shoes. The walls had dry blood caked on them and their were bodies all over the hall. It also smelled horrible, so horrible she could swear she would be vomiting from the smell of it before the night was over.

Daryl was running as fast as he could especially when he saw their cell block come into view, a glimmer of relief coursed through him. He saw Carl open the cell's gate just as Maggie and Glenn raced into the room with Hershel and rushed him into a cell.

The girl let go of Daryl as soon as they were inside, she didn't go all the way inside the cell block though. She stayed on the outside of it, she didn't know these people and they didn't know her. Trust could only go a long way especially these days. She then saw the two men that were behind them come into view and slam the cell gate shut and looked over at her, where she sat on the floor her knees brought up to her chest and she was leaning against the wall.

Rick was torn, he didn't know if he could let her stay with them. But the one thing he did know for sure was, he wasn't letting that girl go back with the other men.

T-Dog stared at her, noticing she didn't make any eye contact with them, she just kept her gaze straight at the wall across from her.

But Rick couldn't just stand there and make a decision on his own, it had to be a group decision if she were to stay. Rick ran through the gate that was now open to the cell block to see Hershel, T-Dog followed him right on his heels.

Daryl looked over at Rick and T-Dog as they raced into the cell after Hershel. The girl was sitting outside the cell blocks gate that was opened. Shaking his head, he made his way up to the perch where his bag was. He got out an old pair of sweats and a large t-shirt. Then walked back down and towards the girl.

"Hey." He whispered to her and saw her head jerk towards him. "I, um, I got you some clothes. You know I figured you'd wanna change." He told and handed her the clothes.

She nodded and just held onto the clothes and began to look around, trying to be discreet, but Daryl noticed.

"If you follow me I can take you to the bathroom." He said and held out his hand hoping she would take it.

She looked up at him and slowly took his hand and he helped her up. "I figured after you change I can help you with your ribs." He said, trying to make a conversation as they walked into the cell and subtly walked past everybody in the cell with Hershel in it and walked onto the perch where the bathroom was straight down the hall.

Daryl saw her look down there warily and he sighed while walking down the with her. "Don't worry this place is cleared out, nothing's here but us." He promised her and opened the now clean bathroom.

She nodded and smiled a little and Daryl was mesmerized by the sight of it. "You need help?" He asked her, he had broke ribs before and he knew it was a bitch doing much of anything by yourself.

She shook her head and slowly walked in there and looked at the shower. "Yeah, it works." He told her. "You can use it if you want, I'll make sure nobody comes up here, okay?"

She nodded and looked over at him. Just as she was about to shut the door he stopped it and a look of alarm flashed over her face.

"Wait, just tell me your name." Daryl told her in a no compromising tone.

"Chayse." She told him in a raspy voice before gently shutting the door.


	2. Chapter 2

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Hello everyone! So the next chapter is HEEERRREE-in a sing song voice- how excited are you? My bet is pretty damn excited, well me too I'm having fun writing this. Just a side note- I've never been abused like that (And pray to god it never happens to me) but from what I have heard is sometimes the people who save them they try to cling to, so that's what I'm going with Chayse, just saying so I don't get any complaints! and if you do find something wrong with it then tell me and I'll gladly fix it... HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!  
_

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_**Chapter Two** _

"Wait, you brought somebody back?" Lori asked Rick frowning. "Where are they, who is it?"

Rick sighed and rubbed a hand down his face and looked at his pregnant wife. "It's a girl, a woman, she was tied up in the cafeteria with those men we were telling you guys about." He told her.

Lori sighed and shook her head. "Is she dangerous?"

Rick shook his head slowly. "I don't think so. She was raped there, she hasn't spoken, but I don't think she is trying to hurt us. You should have seen the way she looked at me, at all of us there. Her face had such a fear on it, like at any moment we would jump her."

Lori's mouth was opened and she couldn't form a single coherent thought for a moment. "So, you're gonna let her stay?"

"Group decision." Rick told her and put his hands on his hips. "I only care about this group now, if they don't want her here. Then she goes. That's it." He told her coldly.

Lori nodded but couldn't form a coherent thought for several minutes. "Alright." She eventually said, before slowly making her way back to the call Hershel was in.

Daryl stood up from his sleeping bag where he was making arrows and waiting for Chayse to get out of the bathroom, when he saw Rick walking towards him.

Daryl went down the steps and frowned at Rick. "What's up?"

"Has she spoken yet?" Rick asked him.

Daryl shrugged. "She told me her name was Chayse."

Rick frowned. "That's it? She didn't say anything else?"

"Nah, she's in the shower right now." Daryl told him and scowled. "Why? You're really not thinkin about kickin her outta here, are ya?"

Rick frowned at him. "I'm doin whatever the group wants. Nobody knows who this chick is and nobody knows why she was here in first place, and nobody knows if she's dangerous."

Daryl scoffed and shook his head. "Yeah, cause a girl who looks like she never worked out in her entire life is gonna be able to hurt us? Yeah, sounds real logical Rick."

Rick just shook his head and looked at him. "Listen, we are leaving again, going out to find those guys. Make sure they aint up to no good."

"I can't right now." Daryl told him. "I told her I'd wait for her till she got out of the shower so nobody would be up there."

Rick exhaled loudly and annoyed he said, "Fine, after she's out we're leaving and when we get back you are speaking with her." Rick walked off without allowing Daryl to voice his own thoughts.

Daryl rolled his eyes but just walked up the stairs and took his spot he had recently vacated, and finished making his arrow. A couple of minutes later a familiar red-head came out of the bathroom in gray sweat pants and a large white tee shirt.

"Better?" Daryl asked her quietly as she put her old worn out clothes onto the table against the wall.

Chayse nodded and finished tying her shoelaces on her worn out tennis shoes. They hurt her a bit on her heel whenever she ran but it was better than nothing she supposed.

"Listen, I gotta go." Daryl told her watching as her head snapped up at him. "Goin to find those assholes and when I get back, me and you are goin to talk. We clear?" He asked, trying to sound harsher than he did. But he couldn't, how could he treat her like everybody else after everything she's been through?

Chayse nodded cautiously and looked over at him. He stood now with his crossbow around his back and his arms were playing with the string as he looked at her.

"Don't ya ever talk?" Daryl asked confused. "I've never met a more quiet girl."

Chayse shrugged. "Guess I just don't have a lot to say." Her raspy voice said, and that instantly sent tingles all throughout Daryl's body. Her voice was husky and raspy, and it sounded nice.

Daryl nodded and smirked a bit. "Yeah, that happens."

Chayse nodded and watched as he began going down the stairs and she began to follow him but he turned around and frowned. "What the hell you doin?"

Chayse frowned down at him now. "I would have thought you wouldn't want me in this cell block with the other people?" She asked confused looking around.

Daryl shook his head and pointed back up to where his stuff was. "No, you're stayin here. If you want go too sleep, use my shit, just stay here." He told her before finishing the walk down to Rick and T-Dog.

Chayse turned back around and looked at the dark green sleeping bag and small pillow there. There was also two books there, both mysteries and Chayse could have laughed if she would have felt up to it. Daryl didn't look like the type to stay in and read a good book.

Eventually she heard the cell door close and lock and saw a little boy coming back with a set of keys in his hand. He looked up at her for a minute before smiling sadly at her and walked back into the cell where Hershel was.

Chayse carefully sat down on his sleep bag, her ribs were screaming out in protest as she did this but she relaxed when she leaned against the pillow and laid down. God, she hated when she felt like this. She hated feeling so weak, and as soon as she felt right again she was leaving here. Obviously that Rick man had a lot of issues he needed to handle, the last thing he needed to worry about was another mouth to feed that wasn't family.

She just laid there for a while, staring up at the ceiling with her hands on her ribs. Thinking of where she would go when she left. Well first she would have to find Amelia, her aunt. They were only six years apart and they might as well have been sisters since her mother was nearly always absent. Amelia just had to be alive, somewhere. The girl had to much of a strong will to be killed during the zombie apocalypse.

A cough disrupted her thoughts and she found a very pregnant woman looking at her with a kind smile on her face, Chayse returned it hesitantly.

Lorio saw the bruises on her wrists and she inwardly winced, this poor girl must have been through hell this past year.

"I'm Lori." Lori told her taking a stool and sitting on it across from where Chayse leaned against the wall.

"Chayse."

Lori nodded and smiled. "So, how you feelin?"

Chayse shrugged. "As fine as I can be I guess."

"Would you like something for the pain?" Lori asked her frowning. "We have some painkillers if you'd like."

More than anything, Chayse wanted them. But then she reminded herself out on the road by herself and if she had this type of injury their wouldn't be anybody out there with medicine waiting for her.

So Chayse settled on saying, "No thanks."

Lori nodded slowly and looked at her. "So if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing in here?"

Chayse looked down and shook her head. "I was, um, visiting somebody." She told her.

"Who?" Lori asked, if she sounded rude she didn't mean to, she would just rather she ask her questions instead of Rick. If Rick or Daryl did it, she'd have no problem saying they would get aggravated and just frighten the girl more than she already was.

Chayse hesitated. "My father." She told her after a moment's silence.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Lori said compassionately.

Chayse shook her head and looked up at Lori. "No, don't be. He was a horrible man. I only came here for closure before I would have put a restraining order on him."

"Oh." Lori said quietly, not expecting that.

Chayse nodded and smiled sadly. "So, you're pregnant?" Chayse asked her, swiftly changing the subject and was looking at Lori's growing stomach.

Lori smiled and rubbed a hand over her stomach. "Yep, just about any day Hershel thinks I'll pop."

"Hershel?" Chayse asked confused.

"Oh, it was the man Rick chopped his leg off." Lori winced when she realized how that sounded. "Well he was bit so to keep it from spreading they chopped off his leg."

Chayse's eyes widened. "Will he be okay?"

Lori smiled sadly and shrugged. "We're hopin, seems like that's all you can do these days."

Chayse nodded but couldn't help but stare at Lori's stomach. "So what are you going to do after you have the baby?"

Lori sighed and shook her head. "Well, we're gonna take care of it." She said in a tone that made Chayse laugh a bit.

"So how did you become to be with those men?" Lori asked, hating to bring up the subject again. And right when this girl seemed to be loosening up.

Chayse tensed at the mention of them. "Um, well, a guard came in a got me and told me to stay in the cafeteria for a bit. He said he was going to be right back, but then I heard him screaming. So I ran into the food area and then they were there." She told Lori sadly, trying not to think about what was done to her this past year.

Lori frowned and got up and waddled over the red head. She rubbed her hair softly and shook her head. "I'm sorry you went through all that."

Chayse nodded and stared straight ahead, unemotional. "Yeah, me too."


	3. Chapter 3

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait, just been wondering what I'm doing with this story since every episode of the Walking Dead(which I do not own) keeps surprising me and it's hard to make assumptions! So I am still doing this story just updates are going to be very spaced out. This chapter is short ): I hate short chapters in MY stories because I hate when others stories have them.. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

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_**Chapter Three** _

_Amelia Broke_ was tiredly walking through the streets, only having her two pistols with her now. She was walking down a road that seemed to go on forever, her eyes were tired, she was sweating, and she felt like everything on her body was heavy.

The only thing that brought her out of her fog was a gun shot that landed right where her next step was and she jumped back and yelled, "What the fuck?"

Amelia looked around and in the distance she saw a large wall that looked to be guarded. Well obviously it was since somebody just shot at her from that direction but what really brought her attention was a loud groan that came from her left.

She looked over and found a walker wearing a bloody yellow sundress and it was staring right at her.

Amelia's breath quickened, her heart beat fast in her chest and she took off running, straight for that wall. Obviously somebody was in there, and hopefully they could help her.

She sprinted as fast as she could and she saw door opening from the gate and she nearly sighed in relief if she could breath normally right now. The brunette skidded to a stop as soon as she entered and closed her eyes and held her chest. Listening with relief at the sound of the gate shutting and triggers being pulled.

"Close call you had there, huh?" A male voice said from behind her.

Amelia whipped around and found two men standing on top of the wall and stared down at her. One had a full head of brown hair the other had a shaved blonde, with a knife for a hand.

Amelia nodded hesitatingly and looked at them. "Yeah, thanks for opening that." She said gesturing towards the gate.

The brown headed man shrugged and smiled kindly. "Always, seemed like you in a bit of trouble there."

She nodded again. "Yeah, and you know, thanks for missing me."

He laughed and nodded. "So, what's your name?"

"Amelia." She said looked up at him, it was night time, so it was hard to see any of their features.

"They call me governor, and this is Merle." The man said while laying a hand on the other man, Merle.

Amelia smiled friendly. "Nice to meet you both." She told them both genuinely.

The governor looked over at Merle and then Amelia. "Well we're still cleanin out some of the buildings so how would you feel about bunkin with Merle here?"

Amelia frowned and looked around. "Where am I?" She asked not answering the question. It was stranger here. There were low fires yet there were some lights on in buildings.

"Woodbury." The governor told her as Merle and him hopped off of the wall and waved on two more guys.

"Woodbury?" Amelia asked still looking around at the walker-free zone. Amazed at what she was seeing, for months she has wished to see this sight again, and now that she was seeing it again.

He nodded and they walked along the street with a small smile on her face. "We have people here. We have supplies here."

"So people here just continue on with their lives?" Amelia asked amazed at this.

The governor nodded and looked down at his watch. Seeing what time it was, it was time to retire so he could at least get about three hours of sleep. "I'd love to give you the grand tour but right now it's late. Biters are more active at night, besides you look like you want a shower and a place to sleep."

Amelia nodded with a small smile on her face, she couldn't wait until she could take an actual shower and sleep in a real bed.

The governor smiled and nodded. "Though so. Merle will show you where you'll be stayin while we finish cleaning up the rest of the areas."

Amelia nodded a little cautiously. Of course she was nervous about rooming with somebody she didn't know but hey it was better that the governor obviously trusted Merle.

The governor smiled and gave a little stare at Merle and walked off.

"So where are we going?" Amelia asked him when he just stood there staring at her.

Merle shook his head a bit and started walking towards the hotel building he slept in. "We are on the third floor." He told her and opened the door for her so they could go up the stairs.

"Not trying to sound lazy or anything but why don't we just take the elevators?" Amelia asked trying to keep up with him as he ran up the stairs.

Merle looked back at her before staring straight ahead again. "Cause we got solar panels but they only work in the day. Governor wants to keep oil and gas around for as long as we can."

Amelia nodded and looked at Merle as he opened up the next door and walked down the red and white hall. The floors were wooden and there were little torches on either side of the narrow wall. Eventually they made it to a dark oak door and Merle opened it non-ceremoniously.

"Welcome to my humble abode." He said slamming the door behind her. "Shower is down there and just opened the door you didn't open to get in." Merle told her and walked into the kitchen to get some scotch.

Amelia looked at him and frowned. "If you need clothes just take one of my shirts and sweats." Merle said after he took the first sip.

Amelia nodded and then smiled a bit as she went into the bathroom and looked at the large shower. It was large and square, the door to get in was clear and there was soap and a razor! Even an extra toothbrush.

She took a blue towel out of the closet, that was in the bathroom, and set it on the closed toilet that was near the shower.

The brunette smiled and her hazel eyes were bright as she eyed the shower longingly. Without wasting anymore time she stripped her red tee shirt and her dark jeans as well as her socks and boots and stepped into the shower with anticipation.

The warm water felt wonderful on her skin, she fantasized about this for God knows how long. It even felt great shaving her legs and feeling how smooth they were. Her mouth felt nice and clean and not filled with germs. Her head wasn't as itchy and greasy. Her skin felt like it could breath now that she could wash up all the grime that was caked onto it.

She stepped out of the shower and she could see all the steam rush to get out around her. She quickly wrapped the towel around her and exited the bathroom and opened the door that didn't enter with and walked into the large bedroom.

There was a king size bed with four pillows on it, and a light brown comforter on top of it. There was a large brown dresser with two drawers opened messily.

Amelia walked over to it and took out a black tee shirt and black sweat pants and dropped the towel. She put on the pants and just when she was going to put on the shirt, Merle walked in.

Merle whistled low and eyed her chest appreciatively. "Damn." He said loudly watching as she blushed and quickly pulled the shirt on.

"Didn't anybody tell you, you should knock?" She asked him scowling at him as she watched him clumsily take off his boots.

Merle chuckled and shook his head. "A man don't knock before going into his own room." He told her as if she were stupid.

"So where are you sleeping?" She asked as she crawled onto the left side of the bed.

Merle laughed and it was a deep booming sound and he shook his head. "Darlin, I'm sleepin in my bed. So you best move over." He told her putting on his own sweat pants and wife beater.

Amelia sat up on his bed her mouth opened. "You're kidding?"

Merle shook his head. "No I'm not kidding so you best move over before you're gonna sleep in the hall tonight."

Amelia frowned but scooted over on the right side and scowled when she felt the bed jostle as he got into bed.

"Ya aint gonna cuddle up to good ole Merle?" He asked her condescendingly.

Amelia wrinkled her nose and looked at him. "Nah, you smell like a horrible liquor." She told him.

Merle frowned and started to mutter to himself.

Amelia just smiled a bit before cuddling her self into the bed and falling asleep on the soft mattress. The first time in a long time, she was in a deep sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't updated, for those of you who read my little note on my other stories scratch that, I decided to waste the last energy of my computer to get this story onto my desktop. For those of you who do not know my laptop charger is broken): so my laptop is dead as of now but I ordered one in the mail and it should be here friday !(: So I won't be updating anymore until Friday or Saturday because I absolutely despise WordPad... But thanks for being patient with me!  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

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_**Chapter Four**_

_Chayse _was nervously watching the gate as if she could will it to where Daryl could come back in. She didn't know what it was about him, but he made her feel safe. And she was going to hold onto that for as long as she could. For once she would be selfish.

Then she heard walking and soon enough she saw Carl opening up the cell's door and watched as Daryl, Rick, and T-Dog walked in and out with bags and boxes of food. Maggie, who looked very sunken and down these past few hours, even looked a bit relieved when she saw everything they brought back.

Rick looked up at the perch, where Chayse was sat against the wall looking down at everybody that was looking at all the food with excitement and relief. There was a news sense of hope in the prison.

And everybody except her felt it. Chayse just knew Rick wouldn't let her stay with the group. And she did not blame him, not one bit. Was she upset she wouldn't have somebody to watch her back when she went out looking for Amelia? Of course she would be scared but she would do it and she would succeed. With or without help.

Daryl came in with the last box food and set it down in the back of the cell block and then came out and looked up at her with a stern expression.

"Go up now." Rick ordered him as he walked into the cell Hershel was in now.

Daryl tried not to let his anger get the best of him, again. He was better than that shit, and the last thing he needed was snapping at Chayse when she had information they needed.

He breathed in deeply and then walked up to the perch where she was leaning against the wall and staring at him.

"Got a lot of stuff." Chayse told him quietly, and heard the quiet chattering below them.

Daryl nodded and put down his cross bow and squatted down in front of her and frowned a bit. "You ready to talk now?"

Chayse shrugged. "I already talked to Lori." She said quietly and looked at him.

Daryl shrugged. "Well, now I wanna know. Think you can talk to me about it?" He asked her softly and moved so he sat down next to her.

Chayse subconsciously moved away from him and crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged. "Sure, what do you want to know?"

Daryl inwardly grinned, thank god she wasn't going to argue. "How about what you were doin here?"

"I was visiting my father." She told him softly.

"Why?"

Chayse tensed again and looked at him blankly. "I just wanted some closure, before I had a restraining order put on him."

Daryl frowned. "Why did you need a restraining order against your old man?"

"That's personal, and something I'd rather not share." She told him harsher than she meant to.

Daryl nodded and backed off the subject. "Alright, alright, relax." He told her. "So, you got anybody that might be out there?" He asked her, not that he would let her go out there even if Rick did kick her out, but just to make sure.

Chayse shrugged. "I'd like to think so."

Daryl frowned when she left it at that. "Who?" He inquired when she remained silent.

A small smile came across her face and her normally dull green eyes had just a little spark of happiness and hope in them. "My aunt. Her name is Amelia."

"You seem close." Daryl said and watched as her face practically glowed by just thinking about her.

Chayse nodded and looked over at him, that same smile still on her face and showing of her one dimple on her left side. "She is my best friend, sister, and mother all wrapped up into one. And she's only six years older than me. She means the world to me."

Daryl sighed and realized Chayse had such high hopes she was alive, he couldn't imagine what she would be like if Amelia was dead. "You know, she might not..." Daryl trailed off in a soft voice and watched as her glow died.

Chayse gave a somber nod and stared into his deep blue eyes. "I know, but everybody's got to have some hope in them. The only thing that kept me going was thinking of my aunt. She would never want me to have the easy way out."

Daryl smiled and bit and gently put a hand on her shoulder, she flinched but she hid it well.

Chayse smiled a bit at him, he was comforting her, even if he wasn't that great at, at least he was trying. And she might have even felt a little better.

_Amelia _was sitting down in the hotel room in the same sweats and tee shirt she slept in, but she felt a lot better in those clothes than her grimy jeans and worn out shirt she had been wearing for about two weeks.

Merle was still snoring away in the bedroom and Amelia chuckled a bit, he was a character. She knew him not even a day and she'd give him that. He was a real character and that was when he was drunk and tired she could only imagine how he would be sober.

A knock on the door broke her out of her thoughts and when Merle still snored loudly, so the brunette stood up and walked over to the door and was met by an old woman standing there with a tray of food.

Amelia frowned and looked at her, and the woman stared at her a bit too.

"Oh, dear, you must be new." The woman said in a kind voice. "I'm Marion." The woman told her coming in with the tray of food and set it down on the counter.

"Amelia." She said and followed her into the kitchen.

"So when did you get into Woodbury?" Marion asked her turning around after setting the food down.

Amelia sighed and leaned against the counter. "Last night, governor and Merle got me out of a tight situation."

Marion looked at Amelia with sad face and rubbed her arm. "Oh you poor dear. Must have been more frightened than anything."

Amelia shrugged and nodded. "Just because some guns are loud. Couldn't shoot them that would just draw more."

Marion nodded a sad expression on her face before she offered a smile. "Well, at least you're here now." She told her and began walking out of the room before turning around. "You know I might have some clothes you can wear, if you'd like."

Amelia smiled and nodded a bit. "Yeah, I'd like that if you don't mind."

Marion nodded and held the door opened and waved her hand, inviting her to come with her.

"Right now?" Amelia asked her confused.

"No time like the present."

_Chayse _was now sitting with Rick on the perch. She wasn't as nervous as she thought she would be, but that was probably because she already knew his answer.

"So, Chayse. You know how to shoot?" Rick asked her after a couple moments of silence.

Chayse shrugged. "Yes and no."

"Which one is it?"

"No." She said with a slight chuckle and saw his face twist to a guilty expression before turning stoic again. "But I mean I'm a fast learner." Chayse told him trying to sound convincing but it was the farthest from the truth.

Rick smirked a bit, calling the lie before she even uttered the second part. "Well, I guess we're gonna have to teach you, huh?" He asked her.

Chayse frowned. "What do you mean teach me? I'm sure if you just give me a pistol and a bottle of water I'll make it." She told him.

Rick frowned. "No, the group came to a decision, so if you'd like you're welcome to stay."

Chayse's eyes widened. "Oh." She said shocked. Which she was. She was one hundred and ten percent sure she would have been out of here by the end of the week. But then Amelia flashed through her head.

"What, what's wrong?" Rick asked seeing her expression fall.

"It's just my aunt is out there somewhere. How can I leave her on her own?" She asked Rick frowning at the floor.

Rick sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry to say this but she may not have made it. A lot of people are gone because of walkers. That's just how it is."

Chayse nodded and felt a tear come to her eye. Of course she knew Rick wasn't being mean or cruel to her, just honest. And she appreciated that, more than he could know.

Rick nodded and pat her arm gently, watching as she subtly tried to miss contact. "Well, I hope we get to here a lot more from you." Rick said and stood up and went down the stairs.

Chayse sighed and watched as everybody seemed to congregate near the room Hershel was in. Obviously he was close to all of them. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty that she had no emotion towards him. After everything she had been through, she didn't think she could ever feel sorry for someone again.


	5. Chapter 5

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Hello everyone! so my charger came but now i have to play with it when i plug it in to make it work... and it's hard to type with one hand so don't be mad at me if I'm not updating as fast as you'd like I'm really trying! (:  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

* * *

**_Chapter Five_**

_Amelia_ was sitting down in her now new clothes in the living room and watched as Merle came in loudly.

"Man, are you ever fucking quiet?" She snapped playfully at him as he took off his jacket, carefully because of his arm, and then his shoes.

Merle shrugged. "Hate it so much leave. Don't need no fuckin bitch in my place takin up room."

Amelia stood up and crossed over to him, she slapped him across the face and glared at him. "I am not a bitch, and you need to stop saying that I am. And it wasn't my idea to sleep here. I don't want to be sleeping out on the streets." She told him a little frustrated.

Merle stared at her for a bit, her words registering in his head for a moment, before shaking his head and walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of scotch. Fuck what women said, they were always hormonal bitches.

Amelia shook her head and calmed a bit before walking after him. "So how was watch?" She asked trying to strike up conversation.

Merle shrugged. "Boring as hell." He told her taking a long drink of his scotch.

Amelia frowned. "You actually like killing them?"

"New sport." Merle told her and chuckled. "No baseball, no football, no soccer, hell even no gay ass tennis. Gotta have somethin to do in this shit hole."

Amelia frowned. "What? Don't like Woodbury?" She asked him confused and grew even more so when Merle clammed up.

"Wait, you really don't like it here do you?" She asked him amazed. "Why? This place seems like a haven to everything on the outside."

Merle just looked up at her blankly and shook his head.

"What? What aren't you tell me?" Amelia asked him more sternly, she needed to know if this place was something she needed to worry about.

Merle shrugged. "First rule in this town. Never listen to a drunk Merle Dixon."

_Chayse_ was standing outside with everybody though she was with Daryl, Glenn, and Rick. Not that she didn't like the women she just like spending more time with Daryl. She was comfortable with him.

When Hershel stepped out of the doorway with his crutches she could practically feel everybody's hope and relief. It was like this was a sign or something saying, everything was going to be okay.

"He really going to be okay while on those things?" Chayse quietly asked Daryl as he leaned up against the gated.

Daryl shrugged and looked over at her. "I think. He just aint gonna be aloud to go on runs, and he's gonna have to stay in the cell block whole lot more."

She nodded and then looked back over towards Hershel where he was now going down the stairs, he seemed happy. Which was weird considering he had his leg shopped off, but he was probably just happy to be alive. Chayse could practically feel that energy.

"How do you think Lori will be when she has the baby?" Chayse asked Daryl quietly as she walked back over to him and leaned on the gate next to him.

Daryl shrugged and looked at the woman in question. "I'm thinkin she aint gonna be much use to the group for a couple weeks. And that baby is gonna attract walkers."

Chayse nodded and was about to ask him another question when a horde seemed to move towards Lori, Carl, Maggie, Beth, and Hershel.

Rick noticed it first and screamed, "No!" Then Rick and Glenn took off running.

"Shit." Daryl muttered and quickly pick up his crossbow and began running, Chayse started to follow him but he stopped her and shook his head. "No, you stay out here. I know sound fuckin batshit crazy but everything is locked up in here." He told her and quickly gave her his sheathed knife. "Anything comes your way stab it in the head." He said and took off running towards the gate and then locked it tight leaving Chayse outside alone.

Chayse sighed and stared around her, she just stood there as quiet as she could, in hope that it wouldn't draw attention to herself. The moans were disturbing to here, and she could see Beth and Hershel outside locked into a small part of the gate.

Chayse started slowly walking, her ribs were killing her, but she wanted to be closer to Beth and Hershel. The smell outside was sickening, and she heard door after door slam shut.

Chayse looked around and only saw Beth and Hershel now outside, although these walkers were now down, it still scared her. She was out here alone, although she supposed she was luckier, since whatever was on the inside of the prison was much worse.

"Hey, you okay over there?" The man, Hershel, asked her concerned. He was looking down at where she was standing leaning against the gate looking towards the prison.

Chayse looked over at them and nodded slightly. "Yeah, just worried about what's going on in there."

Hershel nodded and looked over at a clearly shaken Beth and put an arm around her and kissed her head. "Everything will be fine." He told both of them.

Chayse chuckled and nodded. "You have a deranged sense of optimism, you know that?"

Hershel smiled slightly. "Somebody has too."

_Amelia_ was now walking outside with a nurse, Lucy, she was the sweetest girl she had ever met. The governor wanted her to be checked out for infections, scratches, or bites. And even though Amelia tried to explain to him if she was bitten or scratched she would have been ill by now, he still wouldn't listen.

So now Amelia was following a petite blonde into the hospital building. It was bright in here and there were three or four people standing around a large counter and looking at different bottles of pills.

"If you can follow me." Lucy's soft voice said to her when Amelia stopped at the front door of the building.

Amelia nodded and jogged a bit to catch up with her and Lucy led her into a small room with a table.

Lucy held a needle and a few glass tubes in her hand and smiled a little at her. "Um, I need to take some of your blood, is that okay?" She asked her hesitantly, but knowing even if her answer was no she'd have to get the governor.

Amelia nodded and sat down on the table and held out her arm to Lucy. "Go for it."

Lucy smiled at her and carefully wrapped a blue rubber band around her arms and then stuck the needle in her vein and she began to transfer the blood from her body into the small tube.

Amelia noticed Lucy was quiet, and she figured maybe she could tell her what Merle wasn't about this town. "So, how do you like it here?"

Lucy tensed for a moment and then shrugged. "I think it's a very nice sanctuary. I think a lot of people wouldn't be here if it weren't for this place."

Amelia agreed with her although it seemed like Lucy was stating something as if she recited it a hundred times to say it perfectly. "But?"

Lucy shrugged and shook her head changing the tube. "I'm not at liberty to speak about this." She told her strongly.

"Come on, it's just me and you in here. To be honest with you, my gut has a horrible feeling about this place." Amelia told her watching as Lucy's blue eyes closed off her emotion.

Lucy shrugged. She didn't know this woman, she didn't know if that was some trap by the governor to see what she really thought.

"Listen, I just need somebody here to tell me I'm not crazy and this place doesn't look as stable as it is meant to." Amelia told her softly.

Lucy carefully took the needle out of her arm and then bandaged it. "You're not." Lucy told her softly putting the tubes filled with her blood on the counter near the door.

Amelia smiled softly, thank God. "How long have you been here?"

"They found me out there. About four months ago." Lucy told her. "Ever since I got here something had always rubbed me the wrong way. I've tried talking to Kris, a soldier here, but he told me as long as I want to have a pleasant time here I should keep my mouth shut. So I did."

Amelia frowned and looked at Lucy. "Did you ever see anything? Like something you weren't supposed to?"

Lucy sighed and looked down for a moment and then looked back up at Amelia with a stoic face. "One time, I was in the governor's house. I was told I needed to get him because two new women were found and in the infirmary. I did, I couldn't find him so I started looking around. I found this room and there were water tanks with nothing but biter heads in there."

Amelia frowned and looked at her questioningly. "Like he had their heads in tanks?" She asked incredulously. She knew something was up with this guy.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, and there was a recliner in there so I think he just sat in there and watched them."

"Wow." Amelia said, and she couldn't come up with a more clever response than that. What kind of freak does that?

Lucy nodded watching Amelia's reaction. "Yeah this guy is really fucked up, aint he?"

_Chayse_ was looking behind her at the walkers that had moved towards the prison, because of the sirens. God dammit did they ever get a fucking break?

"What the hell? Why are there sirens?" Chayse asked loudly to Hershel as the walkers were trying to get inside of the gate where she was.

Hershel looked over at her and then the walkers that were beginning to come over. "I don't know. But you need to stab him. Him and his friends can knock over that gate." Hershel said moving more towards the side so she could hear him better.

The red-head looked up at the old man and frowned. "Stab them?" She question, sure when Daryl gave her his knife he told her to get them in the head but that didn't mean she really thought she had to do it.

Hershel nodded and made a gesture with his hands for her to hurry. "You keep taking them down until they're all gone, you hear me?"

Chayse slowly nodded and then walked back over towards the gate and quickly stabbed the walker. She almost vomited at the sight, the knife went right into his eye ball. His skin was decaying so when she yanked the knife back there was black skin around it and blood.

She looked at it and closed her eyes and was hoping for a miracle. "Goodness." She said listening to the sirens and the sounds of moaning moving closer.

"Chayse, you need to get over it and just stab them." Hershel told her patiently. "I was like you once, convinced they were still alive and there was a cure but there isn't. This is only going to end two ways, they die or you die."

Chayse nodded and then after that she was just moving like she was on auto-pilot. She wasn't even aware of what she was doing. Something brought her our of her reverie though.

Hershel looked down at Chayse looked up at him frowning. "The sirens are off." She said looking towards the horns that were previously emitting a loud blaring sound.

Hershel nodded, and looked towards the door that opened allowing Rick, Glenn, and Daryl to come through.

Chayse had tears in her eyes, she didn't like what she had to do. She didn't like it at all, and seeing Daryl okay, made her feel a little better. Her protector was back.

Daryl ran outside and looked towards where Chayse was where he left her and at first he grew worried and scared, which both shocked him, he never felt that before. Not for somebody else. But his doubts were put to rest when he saw her walking towards the gate where he locked it.

He quickly walked over and unlocked it and was tense and uncomfortable for a moment because she immediately went into his arms seeking comfort. Something he didn't know how to give.

Daryl pulled back from her and looked her over. "You okay? You aint hurt?"

Chayse shook her head and tried to blink back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I'm fine. My ribs are really hurting me though." She told him letting him go and holding onto her left side.

Daryl nodded and took hold of her upper arm and pulled her with him towards the court, after locking the gate. "When we get back in, I'll bandage ya up. Alright?"

Chayse nodded and let him lead her towards the wall where Hershel and Beth were coming down the stairs, slowly but surely.

Daryl was leaned up against the wall with Chayse in his side. He didn't know what to do with girls, never did. That was all Merle. But Chayse was persistent she moved gently to get her arm out of his grasp and made him put his arm around her shoulders. She sighed a bit and relaxed into his embrace.

Rick looked around frantically and then a gate squeaked as it opened revealing Maggie holding a baby and a stoic Carl.

Rick's face dropped when he saw Maggie. "Where's?" He asked not even able to get to whole question out before a bloody Maggie quietly shook her head and tightened her hold on the baby.

Rick let out a cry of despair and walked away. He lost his wife, he lost the woman he loved. He lost someone who helped him hold it all together. Rick didn't know what he would do without her, and he always hoped when she had the baby she would be fine. They could move past their problems and be a family again... obviously not._  
_


	6. Chapter 6

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**I am SO sorry I haven't updated :/ there is absolutely no excuse since I had chapter six done I just kept forgetting to update this story! But I hope this is worth the wait! And please don't hold your breath for chapter Seven... I refuse to give up on this story though, it will be completed GRR! (:  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

* * *

_**Chapter Six**_

_Chayse _looked over at Daryl and frowned slightly. "What about Carol? T-Dog?"

Daryl shook his head slightly and looked at her sadly. He might have not been the nicest to T-Dog, but the man didn't deserve to die. He always had his back, and Daryl felt guilty he didn't get to T-Dog before everything happened. Same with Carol, the woman was like his second mother.

Chayse saw his face turn guilty and instantly felt sympathy for him. "I'm sorry, they must have meant a lot to you." She whispered.

Daryl nodded and shrugged. "In these times, it don't matter how long you know somebody, your group is your family."

Daryl looked at Rick and frowned, he was just staring blankly ahead, not seeing anything.

"Hey, Rick. You okay?" He asked waving a hand in front of an idle Rick's face.

Rick didn't say anything, he only looked at Daryl and then saw an axe. Rick got up angrily and stalked over to the axe and swooped it up. He needed to find Lori, he needed to find her. Dead or alive. That was his only thought as he entered the death ridden prison.

"She needs formula." Hershel told them while looking over the baby. "She can't survive long without it."

Daryl shook his head. "No way, aint no other person dyin. I'm makin a run." He told them putting on his crossbow.

"I'm going." Maggie told him standing straighter.

"Me too." Glenn said while tossing a look at Maggie.

Chayse looked at all of them, looked at Daryl when he was barking orders. He could take care of this group if Rick failed to do so, and right now it wasn't looking good.

Carl held his little sister, who they still had yet to name, while standing near Hershel and Chayse. They watched as Maggie and Daryl took off on his bike to get into town as quickly as they could. Hoping to God they could get back fast enough to give this new child a chance to live.

_Amelia _was sitting in her and Merle's room, and she couldn't hep but notice how giddy he was acting.

The brunette smiled at him as he lit himself a cigarette and looked outside. "What are you so happy about? I don't think I've ever seen you in this much of a good mood."

Merle laughed and shrugged. "This day is gonna be pretty amazin, governor is throwin a party today. Been a while since we've done that." He told her and then took a long drag from his cigarette before putting it out on the ash tray in his lap.

Amelia frowned and turn to lay down on her stomach on the bed so she could look at him as he sat on the recliner next to the bed. "What do you mean party? Won't that attract the walkers?" She asked him still frowning.

Merle scoffed and stood up. "Woman, don't worry so much." He told her walking over to his dresser and getting his knifed arm out and putting it on.

"How did that happen?" She asked gesturing to his hand. "I mean, if I'm gonna be living with you until I get my own place might as well get to know each other."

Merle looked over at her with a deadly smirk. "Bastards in my old group left me for fuckin dead on a rooftop with a bunch of motherless fuckin walkers tryin to get to me. They handcuffed me, fuckin nigger dropped the key down the drain. Had to get out somehow so I chopped my fuckin hand off and left."

Amelia's face blanched at him. "Why would your group leave you on the roof with a walkers trying to get you?" She asked.

Merle shrugged with a dirty look on his face. "Fuckin beats me. They're a bunch of no good bastards. I was just there with my brother."

"Who's your brother?"

"Daryl."

Amelia looked at Merle's face, it changed for a moment. It was in a blink of an eye before his cocky face came back but she saw worry, and compassion on that face. And it reminded her Merle was human, just like her he had worries for somebody he cared about.

"I have a niece." She told him watching as he sent a frown her way. "She's six years younger than me but me and her are best friends, almost sisters. I was trying everything I could to find her, still am." Amelia said watching a small smile cover his face.

"You're a good person." Merle said quietly. "Come on now, the party is gonna start. We aint havin any fashionably late bullshit."

Amelia smiled a bit and followed him out the door.

_Later_

_Amelia _was standing outside with a cold drink in her hands, she wasn't drinking it though. No, she didn't trust this town one bit. She had no idea if they put something in her drink.

An African woman caught her attention, she had a cold face on and she was doing the exact same thing Amelia was, observing everything, trying to find the loophole in this.

The woman caught her staring at her and stared back for a moment before walking off, and Amelia eagerly followed her.

"Hey." Amelia said quietly looking over at the girl.

The woman looked over at her before staring straight ahead and continued her walking.

"I can tell you hate this place as much as I do." Amelia whispered quietly, as to anybody who would be listening.

The woman let out a slight scoff and a small smirk. Amelia took that as confirmation.

"So, listen. I'll tell you what you want to know about this place and maybe you can tell me some information?" Amelia asked and stopped when the other woman stopped.

"Like what?" Her dark voice said.

Amelia looked down for a moment before lookin back up. "I know you just got here not a long time after me, but have you met a girl out there? Chayse? She's short, red hair, green eyes?" She asked hopefully.

A slow shake of the head. "Sorry. Been me and a friend up until now."

"So, exchanging names?" Amelia asked her cautiously.

The woman stared at her for a moment before saying, "Michonne."

"Amelia."

Michonne looked at her with a predatory look in her eyes. "Now, what do you know about this place?"

_Chayse _was sitting down outside the cell block with the group. Carl was sitting next to her, holding his baby sister.

"She's pretty adorable you know." Chayse told him quietly.

Carl looked up at her and nodded slightly looking back down at the quiet baby he held in his arms. "Yeah." He said not looking up at her.

Chayse knew this boy was withdrawing himself from everybody, and that couldn't happen. She knew what it was like to feel like nobody was there for her, and it sucked. "Listen, if you ever need to talk or need help in anything. I'm here." She whispered to him.

Carl remained silent looked at his sister sleeping.

"I know how you feel." She told him and finally was granted the Carl's full attention. "Okay, maybe not exactly, but I can get a grasp of it. You feel a little guilty, sad, and even anger. I be you feel frustrated too." Chayse said watching as he looked back down at his sister and shrugged.

Carl blinked back the tears that were burning his eyes. "I wished there was more I could have done." He finally said, but his voice was hard and cold.

Chayse carefully put an arm around the young boy's shoulders. No matter how much this boy has been through he's still a kid. And he wasn't old enough to be dealing with any of this. "There wasn't. You did what you're mom wanted you to do. Granted I didn't know her long, but whenever I spoke to her she was always kind and helping to me."

Carl nodded.

"I don't want you to shut yourself out, okay?" Chayse asked him.

Carl looked at her and frowned. "What about my Dad?"

Chayse sighed and looked down at him shaking her head. "He's gonna be fine. He is just grieving in his own way right now."

"Yeah, well that grieving is gonna get him killed." Carl said harshly now glaring at the door his father went through.

Chayse shook her head and looked at the same door Carl was. "You're father is not stupid. He knows you and your sister need him. And he will get back to normal." Although she wasn't even too sure about her own words.

_Amelia _was walking around the town watching as all the kids played with each other as if they didn't have a care in the world, hell some of them even had dogs, but she had to wonder. How was all this noise not attracting walkers.

Doesn't matter if you have a wall or not, this kind of noise could bring a horde their way. That's what kept Amelia on edge.

A heavy arm settled on her shoulders and she smelled the familiar scent of hard liquor and cigarettes. "Hey there sunshine."

"Hello, Merle."

"You are going to love tonight." Merle said as he led her away from the festivities. "But I always did something big before the big ole show." Merle told her quietly now that they were on an empty street.

Amelia laughed and shoved him off of her. "You are not sleeping with me." She told him and let out a small laugh. "Good God, how much have you drank already?"

Merle laughed loudly. "Who said anythin about sleepin?" Merle said as his tongue swiped out to wet his lips as if he were hungry.

"You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm sleeping with you." Amelia told him honestly. "I didn't sleep with men like you before the world ended and I sure as hell am not starting now."

Merle frowned as if something she said clicked. "What's wrong with me?"

Amelia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Well for one, you're not exactly the easiest person to speak to."

Merle shrugged and waved his good hand through the air, dismissing what she had just said. "I was never like that. Never was why the fuck would I start now?"

Amelia shrugged and looked at him. "You never know if you're gonna die tomorrow and you didn't get to tell someone you cared about them. Let's face if a horde big enough came along it could easily take this place back."

Merle got a wild look in his eyes and pointed at her. "Don't. Sayin shit like that around here will get ya killed."

"Why?" Amelia asked him curiously. "Why would I get killed for stating my opinion?"

Merle pushed her against the wall and held her there with his good arm. "Listen, sweetheart, do what women have been doing since the beginning of time." He told her and then smirked at her and released her. "Keepin their mouths shut."

_Chayse _was now walking around the outside gate with a large pole in her hands. Hershel said that two people should just start taking some of the walkers down now, so they wouldn't have a horde to deal with later, if they were unlucky enough. For them, it seemed like good luck never existed.

Glenn was standing there with her as he put his own knife through a walkers skull and pulled it out. "So, how are you?" Glenn asked her wiping the sweat off his brow.

"Good, how about you?" Chayse asked quietly. "I can't imagine how hard this must be on you."

Glenn shrugged. "We've lost a lot of people. Each one of them were family."

Chayse nodded and was silent while Glenn spoke to her. "You know, there were a lot more of us. A whole group actually, we lost a lot of them at the camp we started out with."

"I'm sorry."

"I try not to think about it, but I do remember I had more hope. We were always talking about how the CDC had the cure." Glenn said in a voice like he was mocking it. "We got there and there was one freaking dude."

Chayse sighed and walked over to him. "At least you had some time of hope. I was stuck in here for as long as this is going on, and I'm not telling you that just to be like, oh poor me. No I'm telling you because even though you were out there with walkers, you had a group that would die for you."

Glenn nodded a little unsure. "I have a question, but you don't have to answer this if you don't want to?"

"Go ahead."

Glenn let out a breath. "With everything that happened to you, why aren't you acting like it's affecting you?"

Chayse let out a dry laugh and shrugged. "It does affect me, I have nightmares a lot about what happened. I can't let it affect how I am as a person now though, one thing makes you weak and you're dead."

"If you ever need to talk I'm here. I know I'm no Daryl or Maggie but if you need somebody to talk to, you can talk to me." He said putting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it lightly.

Chayse nodded and felt a small smile come to her face.

_That Night _

_Amelia _was walking through the crowded street following a crowd of people when somebody put a hand on her shoulder and jerked her back.

Amelia turned around with a frown but it erased when she saw it was only Lucy. "Hey."

Lucy frowned and shook her head. "You do not want to go in there with them."

"Why not?" Amelia asked her confused.

"Because you just don't. I find it sickening, but I tell the governor that I have work to do. You can come with me." Lucy said pulling her with her but ran into a solid body.

Merle chuckled and looked down at the girls. "Hey there girlies, where you off too?" He inquired folding his arms, his knife not out.

"Well, I'm not feeling to good. I was gonna go to the lab and see if Lucy could find any tylenol." Amelia lied staring up at Merle.

Merle frowned. "Governor don't want any women down there."

Now, Lucy frowned. "I go down there all the time."

"Now, let's not argue." Merle said putting his hands up. "We can sort this out tomorrow. For now? Let's go enjoy the show." He told them and led them towards, well basically, their hell.


	7. Chapter 7

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Hey everyone! We didn't die yesterday! YAY! Anyway I'm sooo sorry for these long waits ): I hate them to because I update my other stories quickly and I'm neglecting this one.. I haven't even started chapter eight so... yeah, I just didn't want you guys to have to wait anymore than you already did.  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

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_**Chapter Seven **_

_Chayse _watched as Daryl fed the baby and couldn't help the small smile that covered her face. He seemed softer than he usually was, he seemed almost happy. She couldn't remember ever seeing him so relaxed. Even in sleep he was still tense, his face drawn in a frown and his hands going into fists.

Daryl caught her staring at him and he gave a small shrug, and it looked like he was fighting a blush. He couldn't help it, he knew a man like him shouldn't be around kids.

Chayse walked over to him while holding her bowl of food and stood next to him as she ate. "I think she likes you." Chayse told him softly looking down at the beautiful little girl.

Daryl smirked and nodded. "Yeah, little Ass kicker aint to bad to look at." He said quietly.

Chayse had wide eyes and then let out a small laugh. "You're calling the baby ass kicker?" She asked in disbelief. "Oh my God, that poor baby will probably be traumatized."

Daryl shrugged and looked up from the baby and looked at Chayse. "Well, the kid needs a name. And since Carl and Rick didn't give her name that's what I'm calling her."

Speaking of Rick, he came into the cell looking much better than he had before. His hair was clean and pushed back, his skin wasn't dirty and ridden with blood, and his clothes were washed and he looked much more coherent than yesterday. Although he still didn't even throw a look in the direction of his baby.

_Amelia _was laying down in bed with a huge headache, her eyes hurt and her body was sore. She couldn't remember much of last night and she didn't think she wanted to with how she was feeling right now.

She heard a deep chuckle and somebody touch her cheek and out of reflex Amelia slapped the intruder away and sat up quickly, immediately regretting the action. She felt...hung-over. A feeling she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Awe shucks, regrettin ole Merle?" She heard and then a loud booming laugh.

Amelia turned around and opened her eyes. "What?" She asked confused looked at Merle.

Merle ran a hand on her arm and nodded a smirk on his face. "Yeah, me and you had a good old time last night. You're louder than I thought you'd be."

Amelia's eyes widened and she got out of bed cautiously, without saying anything.

"Oh, come on you had a good time last night." Merle said getting up and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You're disgusting." Amelia choked out shaking her head. "You fucking drugged me or forced yourself on me."

Merle frowned and instantly let go of her. "Imma a lot of thing, sweetheart. But none of them are a rapist. You came on to me of your own free-will. So stop with this victim shit." He snapped at her and grabbed his pants and put them on. "I'm goin on the wall, don't worry won't molest anybody on my way there."

Amelia frowned and jumped a bit when she heard the force of the door slam shut. She looked down at the large brown tee shirt she wore and fisted some of the fabric.

The brunette let out a loud sigh before looking around for the clothes that Marion had given her and saw that they were hung up already in the closet... Amelia frowned as she walked more towards it.

Merle Dixon was confusing as hell.

_Chayse _was sitting on the perch while Daryl made sure that the pistols had enough ammo in them.

"So where are you going again?" Chayse asked confused because he just told her he'd be taking the kid and one of the prisoners out with him.

Daryl frowned and put his crossbow over his shoulder. "I'm going to looked for Carol."

Chayse frowned and tilted her head. "I'm not trying to be insensitive but I thought Rick said she was gone?"

Daryl looked at her and squinted his eyes. "Well she aint." He snapped at her. "I'm gonna find her and bring her back."

Chayse stood up and looked up at him. "Your not like together are you?" She asked in small voice but didn't break contact.

Daryl slowly shook his head. "Woman's like the mother I never got."

Chayse nodded and looked at him. "Oh, didn't like your mother?" She asked softly.

Daryl scoffed and pulled away from her.

"I didn't like mine either." She told him quickly before he got to upset. "She was a horrid excuse for a mother."

"I liked my mother, at first. She was my favorite person in the world. Then she got into drugs and shit 'cause of my idiot father. Girl died by making her bed catch on fire by not putting out her cigarette." Daryl said shrugging.

Chayse gave a little smile and walked more towards him. "You gonna come back here unharmed?" She asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"Darlin, you obviously don't know any Dixons." He told her arrogantly.

Chayse laughed a bit and nodded. She liked when this part of him came out, like he knew he was good and nobody would tell him otherwise. "Well, I'm glad I do now."

Anybody watching could tell Chayse was waiting for a kiss, a kiss so clearly Daryl had earned but he didn't go for it. Instead he just nodded and walked down from the perch to go get Carl.

Leaving Chayse to stare after him.

_That Night _

_Amelia _was walking towards the wall when she saw Merle getting off of it and frowned at her.

"What the hell you want?" Merle snapped at her as he walked closer to her.

Amelia frowned and sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry for insinuating you raped me. I don't know you so I didn't have any right to say that."

"Like I give a shit what you think." He barked at her walking away.

Amelia blew out a breath annoyed before stopping him with a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'm trying to apologize and you're acting like a total dick."

Merle gave her a dirty look and shook his head. "I don't need no damn apology. What I need is for you to move along so I can get my shit ready for tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" Amelia asked frowning.

"I'm goin out tomorrow, am lookin for somethin that aint of your concern." He told her angrily before walking off, leaving her there.

Amelia gaped at him and saw Lucy walking down the street and ran towards her.

Lucy saw her and rolled her eyes at her. "What the hell was wrong with you last night?" She asked her annoyed. "I mean really, you were practically all over Merle after the fight."

Amelia shook her head and looked down ashamed. "I might have kinda slept with him too."

Lucy's eyes widened and a laugh escaped her mouth and she laughed harder when Amelia glared at her. "I'm sorry, that's just too funny."

"It's not, and he's all pissed at me. Do you know how awkward things are gonna be now?" Amelia asked her but then waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "Wait don't answer that, answer this. Do you know Michonne? Or where she went?"

Lucy frowned and slowly shook her head. "No, but the woman she came here with, Andrea, is still here. Getting pretty cozy with The Governor."

"What do you mean? The blonde? But why did she leave?" Amelia asked confused.

Lucy shrugged. "Yea, Andrea's the blonde. She has a problem with thinking that she can do anything because she can work a gun. Why Michonne left? I have no idea. I know she didn't like the Governor but she didn't have to leave because of it."

Amelia looked around a bit before looked back towards Lucy. "Wanna go to your place? I really want to talk with somebody without worrying if I'm being overheard."

Lucy nodded and led her to the small loft above the diner and locked the door behind her. "Welcome to my sanctuary." Lucy told her and plopped down onto the couch unceremoniously.

Amelia smiled and sat down next to her. "I have a question for you, you don't have to answer it if you don't want to though."

Lucy nodded and then put her blonde hair up into a bun on top of her head. "Shoot."

"If you could ever leave this place, would you?"

Lucy tilted her head and sighed. "I don't know. I mean even though I don't trust or know some of the things that go on around here it's the best thing I have ever seen."

"But I'd rather be with people I trust and in danger of biters than to be here with people who are untrustworthy and sneaky." Amelia told her.

Lucy sighed and shrugged. "I just think right now everything is okay, unless something really bad happens I don't wanna leave."

Amelia sighed and looked down at her feet. "If I left, would you come with me?"

_Chayse _watched as Daryl cared over the woman, Carol, with such gentleness it shocked her. "She means a lot to you huh?" She asked pulling up the sweat pants she was wearing and leaned onto the bars of the cell.

Daryl looked over towards her but than back down at Carol, as he laid a warm and clean rag on her forehead as she slept.

"Don't like talk about feelings?" Chayse asked as she came more into the room and leaned against the bed and looked down at him. "That's cool, I can be all zen too."

Daryl looked up at her and frowned but still didn't say anything. Although now his hands were back at his sides, he didn't like people watching him when he was caring for others.

"So, how is everything in here?" Chayse asked refraining from making him even more distant.

Daryl shrugged. "Rick cleared out the entire cell block. Some stragglers but other than that it was pretty uneventful."

Chayse nodded and smiled softly at him and moved a piece of hair that fell into his face and he jerked back. "Well I wasn't going to take your eyeball out with my bare hand." She told him jokingly.

Daryl nodded and felt a small grin about to come over his face before he heard Rick's booming voice.


	8. Chapter 8

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**Hey everyone! So I'm so sorry I didn't mean to make you wait this long! And I really wanted this up yesterday but I wasn't even realizing I was writing garbage and I wanted to give you a very NICE present so hear it is! I hope you guys had a good Christmas and since I suck at updating, and I probably won't, I hope you have a happy new year!  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

* * *

_**Chapter Eight** _

_Amelia _was sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands and a book in front of her. Although she wasn't actually reading it, more like just staring at the page as the words blurred together. She was stuck on Merle, she didn't remember anything of that night. She only remembered her and Lilly being caught by him and him giving her a beer and then nothing. It's as if somebody wiped her memory until the morning.

Amelia tensed when she heard the bedroom door open and she looked over towards it and saw Merle standning there with a lit cigarette in his mouth. He went into the kitchen without looking at her and he made himself a cup of coffee.

"You're seriously going to ignore me?" She asked him, unbelieving. "That is so high school."

Merle frowned and looked at her. "Now you listen here missy, you're already on my shit list best not try anything else to make me more pissed."

Amelia looked at him with her wide blue eyes. "I don't know what you want me to do. I said I was sorry and I was wrong. Usually that's about enough. I just have no idea what happened after you gave me a beer."

Merle frowned. "I didn't give you any fuckin beer, so don't you go insinuatin shit. I was gettin ready for my fight."

"Fight? And what? If you didn't give me the beer who was I with?" She asked confused.

Merle shrugged. "Fuck if I know. And you don't remember my fight? Dammit I thought it was one of me best one's too."

Amelia shook her head and stood up going to where he was standing, she just barely reached his shoulder but she glared up at him and put her hands on his forearms tightly. "Merle, quit acting like an arrogant prick and tell me something. Before you came and found me, who was I with?"

"The Governor, but then Andrea came along and she dumped you on me." Merle said rolling his eyes. "Now quit tryin to investigate shit. You're safe and aint a biter so calm the fuck down."

"No Merle, obviously somebody drugged me." Amelia said quietly.

Merle frowned at her, a little freaked out by how she sounded. She almost sound scared. "Well, nothing bad happened. Definitely nothing bad happened. You had the time of your life in my bed."

Amelia looked up at him, just staring at him. In his own sick and kind of twisted way, he was trying to comfort her, make her feel better. "You know, you're not as bad of a guy as everybody thinks." She said in a dazed tone.

"Whatever you say, care to make me feel better in the bedroom?" Merle asked raising his brows at her.

Amelia chuckled and let go of him, going back to her stool and looking back at her book. "Being a crude bastard will get you no where with me."

Merle chuckled and walked up behind her, he put his head down so his chin was on her shoulder and his mouth at her ear. "I'll remember that, sweetheart." He told her kissed her neck gently and then left.

Amelia sat there trying to act unaffected, but her heart was racing and her hands were shaking. And it had nothing to do with fear.

_Chayse _was sitting down in the cell block on the perch where Daryl usually rested with her. Although usually she slept towards the wall and thanks to Maggie she now had her own sleeping bag and clothes that fit her.

Daryl walked up the stairs and frowned when he saw her reading one of his books but didn't comment.

"I heard Maggie and Glenn were going out on a run." Chayse said quietly.

Daryl nodded. "When me and Maggie went didn't get a lot. Got what was needed and that was that. Wanted to get here in case little ass-kicker died."

"Do you think I could go?" She asked him curiously, and Daryl looked up at her sharply. "I mean, I have no idea what I would do in case we got overrun and I was suddenly on my own. So, maybe I should go out there? Get my taste of the area."

Daryl frowned at her and then shook his head. "No you're stayin here." Daryl said gruffly. "I'm not havin them come back here with you injured or bitten. That shit aint happenin, and if we did get overrun I would be with you. Can't let you go runnin around when you don't even know how to shoot a goddamn gun."

Chayse frowned and then stood up and walked over to the table where he was cleaning his crossbow. "How about you teach me? I mean, maybe we can even find a bow and arrow and you can teach me to use that." Chayse offered sounding nonchalant about it, but she desperately wanted to learn. She hated feeling weak.

"Maybe." He said quietly and then it was like he dismissed her. He didn't speak to her or look in her direction again. But Chayse wasn't having it.

"So, are you going with Glenn and Maggie?" Chayse asked him watching as he continued to toy with his crossbow.

Daryl shook his head. "Nah, gonna make another round of the prison today. Might not go with Rick, I'm thinkin of bringing Oscar. Seems like a good guy, I'm takin Carl to."

Chayse frowned. "Where's Rick going?"

"No where, I just figured I'll give the man a break." Daryl said looking up at her now. "The man just lost his wife. He aint in his right mind."

Chayse nodded and loved looking into his eyes, they were sincere and he usually didn't maintain eye contact with her for this long. "You're doing a good thing." She said quietly and looking at him seriously. "You're making a great leader right now and if Rick didn't have you right now then I think this group would have fell."

Daryl looked away from her and back at his crossbow. "I'm doin what I think is right. Not about being a leader."

Chayse put a hand on his and ignored how he flinched and turned rigid at her touch. "And that's why you're doing the right thing. It's not like you have some other motive." Chayse saw how uncomfortable he was and decided to drop it. "How's Carol?"

Daryl nodded and shrugged, still looking at her hand. "She's doin good." Daryl told her quietly. "She'll make it, that's what Hershel is sayin."

Chayse nodded and watched Daryl kept staring at her hand like he could make it disappear. Chayse took back her hand with a deep breath and smiled a bit at him. "Well, at least you'll have some peace of mind about that."

Daryl shrugged and picked up his crossbow. "I'm gonna get goin now."

As he turned around Chayse took a chunk of his flannel shirt in her hand to stop him and he turned around sharply. "Be careful." Chayse told him quietly. "You still don't know what's out there."

Daryl nodded and took back his shirt from her and just stood there for a moment. He patted her shoulder gently and looked at her. "Imma be fine. And once I get back maybe then I'll show you how to shoot a pistol."

Chayse grinned at him. "Sounds like a plan."

Daryl let her go and walked down the stairs to the cell block and got Oscar and Carl. They were getting ready to head out when Daryl felt someone's eyes on him. He turned around and Saw Chayse leaning against the railing and was watching him.

She smiled a bit and he was shocked too feel his mouth come into a small smirk, when he realized what he was doing his face turned back to stone.

But she had seen it, it was small but it was there. Chayse's grin turned bigger and she waved slightly. Daryl nodded and turned around. He locked the cell block and threw the keys to Hershel who was standing there.

"You come back." Hershel told Daryl sternly. "We are not losing anymore people."

Daryl nodded. "I plan on comin back, ole man."

Hershel grinned and watched as they walked out of sight and he used his crutches to go back to cell where Carol was. He looked up when he saw Chayse sitting back on the perch, alone.

"Hey, Chayse." Hershel called up to her. Chayse looked down at him. "Wanna come and meet Carol?"

Chayse felt a small grin come to her face and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."

_Amelia _was sitting on her and Merle's bed wearing one of his shirts and she was nervously playing with her hands. She had no idea what Merle and the guys were going to do and neither did Lucy, with made her very anxious to see why they were going out, if not for supplies. But then she jumped off of her bed very quickly when she heard a door slam. The brunette ran off into the main part of the room and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Merle standing there looking very tired and a bit stoned.

"Where the hell have you been?" Amelia asked frowning over at him, where he walked over to the kitchen like nothing was wrong and made himself a sandwich.

Merle looked up at her after he got his bread. "You listen here missy, don't you be take that tone with me."

"Stop talking to me like a child. Now tell me what happened." Amelia asked going into the kitchen. "Everybody has been on edge here and it doesn't help that I have no idea what the hell is going on."

Merle smiled mockingly at her. "Well good, now you and everyone else is even."

Amelia frowned at him. He was usually rude but he was never this cruel to her. "Merle, what happened?" She asked in a soft voice. "You know you can tell me? Who would I tell?"

"That blonde little bitch of yours." Merle snapped at her.

"Her name is Lucy." Amelia said firmly. "Not little bitch, so don't call her that. Now stop with this pissy little act you have going on and tell me what the hell is your problem."

Merle took an angry bit out of his sandwich and shrugged walking out of the room. "I won't be havin any problems for long. I'm gonna have myself a little joint. You want some?"

Amelia frowned but followed him into the bedroom. If he was really stoned maybe then he would tell her what she wanted to. "Fine." Amelia said curtly and sat on the bed leaning against the head board.

Merle raised his eyes brows at her as he finished his sandwich. "You smoke?" He asked with his mouthful.

Amelia closed her eyes. "Talking with food in your mouth is not charming, at all. And yes I did it once or twice when I was younger."

Merle swallowed and rolled it chuckling to himself. Amelia scooted down on the bed and sat next to him. "What's so funny?" She asked him frowning.

"Nothin, just never pegged you for the type to do this."

"Well then you obviously don't know me." Amelia said smirking. "Like I love drinking, I used to drink all the time whenever I would go out. I would drink anything you'd give me."

Merle raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think you'd like to drink. Didn't drink shit at our party."

Amelia looked at him. "You seriously think I'd drink anything you'd give me here? I don't trust you guys, at all."

"Then why are you still here?" Merle asked lighting it up and taking a deep inhalation.

Amelia shrugged. "I feel like if I left I'd have to constantly look over my shoulder."

Merle nodded. "Biters are everywhere. Although the winter did a number on them."

"No, well yes I have to look out for them, but I meant you guys. I feel like if I'd left you'd still never really let me just live." She said taking a hit.

Merle laughed and leaned back on the bed. His feet hanging off the bed and one hand behind his head the other taking the joint from Amelia. "Got that shit right." He told her gruffly.

Amelia frowned at him. "That what you were doin today? Lookin for someone?"

Merle nodded. "That black chick, Michonne. She left had to take care of her. Bitch is fuckin crazy."

"She seemed pretty sane when I spoke to her."

Merle immediately sat up and put his hand on her shoulder tightly. "No, don't be sayin that shit. You'll get your ass handed to you."

"For what?" Amelia asked and watched as he put the joint out and him shaking his head. "Speaking my mind? Giving my opinion?"

"Disagreeing with The Governor. Second-guessing his choices." Merle told her turning back to her and walked over to her slowly making her lay down on the bed. "Can't be say that shit it'll get you killed." He said and he subconsciously started rubbing her thigh lightly.

Amelia felt a small smile cover her face. "If you're not careful, Merle, I'll start to think you care about something other than yourself."

Merle chuckled and leaned down so he was covering her. "Don't. Can't have that shit gettin out."

Amelia smiled, and it could have been the weed, but she leaned up and she gave him a soft kiss. "You give a shit."

Merle leaned back and glared at her. "I do not give a shit. Merle Dixon, does not give a shit."

Amelia laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him closer to her. "Wow, that's too bad. If you did you might have gotten lucky." She told him in a raspy voice, but then released her hold on him. "But since you know you don't, I guess I'll just go to bed."

Merle chuckled and shook his head he pushed her further up the bed and trapped her arms above her head. "I am getting lucky tonight. I hope you can remember it this time." He told her.

Amelia giggled and his mouth on her's. She knew he wouldn't admit it, but by him not walking away he just proved to her he did give a shit. He gave a shit about her.

Merle Dixon fucking gave a shit, the world really was ending.


	9. Chapter 9

_**I don't own the Walking Dead, nor any of the character except for my OC's.  
**So, I suck at updating this story ): This isn't much of a chapter but I'm posting it anyway so you know I haven't given up on this story! I hope I still have some readers out there and thank you for being to wonderfully patient!  
Thank you all for reviewing, following, favoriting, and alerting this story!  
HAPPY READING!  
PLEASE REVIEW!_

* * *

_**Chapter Nine**_

_Chayse _was standing outside of the prison but still safely on the inside of the gates where Daryl was trying, but very unsuccessfully trying to teach her how to shoot a pistol.

"Come the fuck on, Chayse. It's just a damn pistol. I learned how to shoot this thing when I was seven." Daryl told her annoyed that she just was not getting it. "It ain't that fuckin hard."

Chayse glared at him and dropped the gun, so she wouldn't actually shoot him. Accidently. "You know not all of us can be this big bad walker killing machine. I actually have to learn first. I don't think Carl or Beth just picked up a gun and knew how to use it."

"Want one of them to teach you?" Daryl asked scowling at her. "It did not take this fuckin' long for them to learn how to shoot."

Chayse gave him a disbelieving expression. "This is like my second time holding a weapon give me a break."

"Nobody ain't givin' breaks anymore. So you might as well get that thought out of your head, quick. If you ain't gonna be nothin' more than another mouth to feed than just get the hell out." Daryl snapped at her.

Chayse stared at him. Not knowing whether to be hurt or offended. "On second thought, I'll just have Glenn or Maggie teach me." She told him coldly and shoved his pistol in his hand.

Daryl stared at the gun in his hand as he watched her walk away and back into the prison.

"Fuck."

_Amelia _was up and in the shower before Merle was even up. He was still snoring and still hogging most of the bed covers. Even though Merle liked to be a badass in bed, while sleeping, he was a total teddy bear who would curl up to her and hold her tightly. Something she would have never expected from him. Since as soon as they had sex he rolled over and went to sleep.

Amelia got out of the shower and dressed in jeans and a tank-top and went into the kitchen looking for something to eat.

It felt weird doing this. She never, ever, thought that after the end of the world she could have the luxury of looking into cabinets and working fridges and look for something to eat. It was small things like that, that made her realize that there could be some small hope. But always a part of her felt guilty for it. She just knew Chayse didn't have the same thing.

She finally settled on some cereal and went into the living room and popped in a movie. Another thing she never would have thought about. Sure, there might not be cable, but you gotta take the little things life gives you.

She jumped slightly when the door opened and Merle groaned as he walked towards the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge to get himself a cold beer.

"Isn't it a bit early to be drinking?" Amelia asked as he came back inside the living room and sat on the recliner near the sofa.

Merle smirked at her over the top of his beer. "It's five o'clock somewhere." He told her before taking a long gulp of it.

Amelia nodded and stared at him. "So, know what you're doing today?"

Merle shrugged. "Probably take guard at the wall for a bit. Then might go back to bed."

"Wow, productive day. It's like there's nothing to do here."

"You know there are actually people 'round here. There are places you can go and things you can do, you're just choosin' not ta."

Amelia raised her brows at him and shrugged. "I'm just not comfortable here, and neither are you."

Merle stared hard at her. "You don't know how the fuck I feel 'round here. So don't go insinuatin' shit."

"I'm not insinuating anything. You told me I shouldn't trust this place." Amelia said, totally bluffing. He actually didn't mention anything about Woodbury last night, but now she could try weasel information out of him.

Merle leaned forward and stared her in the eye. "Bullshit."

Amelia shrugged acting not bothered. "Deny it or not but it's the truth. You wouldn't remember anyway. I fucked you stupid."

Merle squinted his eyes at her. "You didn't fuck me stupid, sweetheart. You don't got that kind of skill."

Amelia looked at the television acting un-bothered. "I don't know. Came pretty hard last night to make a statement like that to me today."

Merle got up and put his beer on the table in front of him, he didn't say anything while he walked back to the bedroom-but he did slam the door.

Amelia couldn't help the smirk that came on her face as she continued to eat her cereal.

Whether Merle liked to admit it or not, he totally lost that fight.


End file.
